Check this out: https://www.davidkahnrarecoins.com/1824-50c-capped-bust-half-dollar-pcgs-ms66-113369351.html
Sadly, strike isn't always considered in the grade. There wouldn't be MS 64-68 Mercs if they didn't have full bands. No Standing Liberty Quarters graded above 64 without FH and full shield. No Franklins without FBL, no Roosy's without FT and there are others.
The coin was not weakly struck. Rather, the planchet was non-uniform in thickness. While not the perfection one would want to buy for the asking price, it is a great representative of the series, compared to the many examples that are less well-struck, marked up, dipped or otherwise degraded. If well-detailed throughout, the coin would doubtless grade higher than MS66, and boast a correspondingly higher price.
Strike is ALWAYS considered as part of the grade, there's many other things that go into a grade though Ypu don't have to have those things to have a strong strike.
I look for three things in a strike for Busts - the Dentires around the rims, the hair details, and the stars. Others will differ.
I don't own it, but it is available for sale at David Kahn. I think I wouldn't buy this coin, even if I had the money. It is just not the kind of collector that I am. I would want the rim and the entire details to be clear for that kind of investment and would enjoy a better overall strike, even if it was AU.
Agreed. The actual mintage process produced many coins of variable thickness, as the dies were rather primitive back then. The coin is definitely solidly uncirculated, with no distracting factors, except for some less than stunning toning. However, it is extremely difficult to find examples of that date that are as well-preserved as is this specimen. The high grade does not seem out of line, given its sharp details, and clean fields.
https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1071591 this 1824, IMO, is more desirable, not withstanding any variety specific value... the coin is just a more complete strike This coins was obviously dipped, though.
If you want a "fully" struck bust half you are mostly limited to the dates from 1824 through 1826 (and they are scarce). The other years almost always show weakness somewhere....stars, wing, motto, etc. This one sold last night at auction for what I think was a reasonable price $4484.00 including juice.
wow - that is a lovely coin. Where was that auctioned? The David Kahn coin is described as having pinpoint details in the hair and about the coin, and indeed, the strike in the hair details is wonderful, and you are paying for it at 18K. And David will get it. He is a great dealer with a very fair sense of the market and special examples.
Scotsman Auction at the CoinX show in St Charles, MO. There were a BUNCH of lovely ladies in this sale. https://www.scoins.com/
The strike is very important to me. If that bust half was raw in a dealers case I wouldn't even look at it. I understand that graders don't consider the strike as much as they should. I can understand that to a point but, in my opinion any coin with a weak strike shouldn't grade better than MS 64. Once you get to MS 67 the coin should have a full strike. That goes for every series. I know a lot of dealers would be upset with my opinion but, to them high grades mean high sell prices.
